The recent news about Uganda passing legislation to outlaw FGM fills me with hope. Whilst laws can only be as strong as their enforcement, the messages this sends is a powerful one.
The link below is to a case study from a group that worked with the Sabiny people in 2002 - partly to show how far we've come in eight years, but also to show how entrenched this issue is in communities.
Somehow reading about the killings of the district official and the husband of the project co-ordinator because of their stance on FGM makes me feel that tribute has to be paid. Without them, we may not be where we are today. Sadly they are not named. It would have been nice to honour their memory.
The entire case study is on p35 of the Global Consultation on FGM/C, UNFPA, 2008
http://www.unfpa.org/webdav/site/global/shared/documents/publications/2008/fgm_2008.pdf
Here's to those who fight on the frontline against FGM, in spite of intimidation, in spite of violence, in spite of being ostracised for what you do. And for those of you who've died for the cause - well. There aren't really words, are there?
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